VIETNAMESE BEEF PHO

Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Total Time: 50 mins

INGREDIENTS: • 8 cups beef broth • 4 cups water • 1 medium yellow onion, quartered • 4 cloves of garlic, roughly minced • 3 whole star anise • 3 whole cloves • 1 (3-inch) knob of ginger, sliced into coins • 1 cinnamon stick • (optional: 2 Tbsp. fish sauce) • salt and black pepper • 1 package pho rice noodles (look for the word “pho” on the package) • 12 ounces steak, very thinly sliced against the grain

GARNISHES: • bean sprouts, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, thinly-chopped, green onions, thinly-sliced jalapenos, Thai basil

DIRECTIONS: 1. Stir together beef broth, water, onion, garlic, star anise, cloves, ginger, cinnamon stick (and fish sauce, if using) in a large stockpot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer for at least 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package instructions. (If your package of noodles did not have instructions, simply bring a large pot of water to a boil. Then cook the noodles until al dente, about 3 minutes.) Immediately drain the noodles, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

3. When you are ready to serve the soup, fill the serving bowls about halfway full with noodles. Then cover with the hot broth, and immediately stir in the steak so that it cooks. Top with your desired garnishes.

(*Most people stir the cilantro, ginger, lime, jalapenos and Thai basil into the broth to give it extra flavoring, but you don’t necessarily need to actually eat those ingredients whole.)

They’re quick to cook, hard to mess up and universally loved. Here are the different types you are most likely to encounter when shopping or eating out!

The Ultimate Guide to Asian Noodles By LEANNE KITCHEN

Wheat noodles This is the broadest category of all. It encompasses many dried and fresh iterations across every width and length imaginable. There are various brands with inconsistent elements so getting grips with all the different types can be a curly proposition, particularly Chinese wheat noodles.

Udon Somen Somyeon Shanghai noodles La mian Knife-sliced noodles Jjolmyeon

Rice noodles Another large category of noodle, rice noodles come in a range of shapes and sizes, both fresh and dried. They’re made from rice flour and water and their soft texture and mild flavour make them the perfect vehicle for just about any suite of flavours, whether bold or subtle. Culinarily, they’re used across the gamut - in everything from salads to soups to stir fries, as well as an accompaniment to curries and grills. They cook incredibly quickly and some iterations just need soaking, not cooking. Noodles made with 100 per cent rice flour are gluten free.

Rice vermicelli Rice stick noodles Chow fun

Starch-based noodles This family of (mainly) dried noodle is translucent, with a polished sheen that makes them resemble plastic in their raw state. They’re made using vegetable starches, not flour, and the vegetables range from mung bean, cassava, potato, sweet potato and tapioca to yams. They’re easy to use, but require soaking in hot water to soften them first. Note that these types of noodles are gluten free.

Bean thread noodles Dangmyeon Harusame

Buckwheat flour noodles Buckwheat flour is nutritious, which contains plenty of fibre, protein and high levels of manganese. It has an appealingly nutty and earthy flavour. Noodles made using buckwheat flour are popular in Korea and Japan. Many commercial iterations contain wheat flour or buckwheat, as buckwheat flour lacks gluten and gluten is important for the strength of the noodle. Proportions of flours can vary and the higher the percentage of buckwheat, the better the quality.

Soba Naengmyeon Dotori guksu

Egg and alkalised noodles These noodles are all wheat based and either contain egg (or egg colouring), or look like they do, thanks to the addition of an agent that raises the pH levels. The higher alkaline level encourages greater water absorption into the flour and strengthens the flour’s proteins. High pH also releases yellow pigments in the flour, which are colourless when pH is neutral. The resulting golden hue is, in this type of noodle, not from the addition of egg, although they’re often mistaken for egg noodles.

Hokkien noodle Ramen Lo Mian Yi Mian

In Japan, it is considered good form to loudly slurp your noodles as a way of telling your host that you are enjoying the meal.

• Noodles symbolize longevity in China.

“National Noodle Day” is on October 6th.

Instant noodles, which are an inexpensive food item today, were once sold as luxury items.

By federal law, a noodle must contain 5.5% egg solids to be a noodle.